Superheater.



H. W. JACOBS.

SUPERHEATER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 16, 1912. 1, 1 25,8 l9. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

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H. W. JACOBS.

SUPERHEATER. APiLIOATION FILED OCT. 16, 1912.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

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OFFICE.

HENRY W. JACOBS, 0F TOPEKA, KANSAS.

SUPERHEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed October 16, 1912. Serial No. 726,143.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY W. JACOBS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Superheaters, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates to steam superheaters more especially adapted for locomotiveboilers; the invention resulting in a con struction which may be readily applied to locomotives as at present in service without requiring any extensive changes or alterations in the boiler or locomotive.

The object of my invention is to provide superheating means whereby any degree of superheat may be obtained at a low initial cost as well as at a low cost of maintenance; the construction, in its preferred form, being such that the steam passing through the superheating means will be compelled to take a form that will absorb a maximum amount of superheat during a minimum amount of travel and with a minimum amount of superheating surface without, however, decreasing the water capacity or flue heating surface to a degree which would interfere with the proper generation of steam in the boiler.

A further object of the invention is the provision of superheating means of great efliciency but, at the same time, of such construction that the superheating units may be of minimum weight and yet be commensurate with the service required.

The invention possesses other advantages which will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the construction illustrated in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a locomotive-boiler provided with my improved superheater. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 loching in the directionof the arrow. Flg. 4 is an enlarged transverse cross section of one of the superheater units.

In the exemplification of my invention, as applied to an ordinary or simple type of locomotive, 5 represents the usual boiler shell of a locomotive,the front end whereof terminates in a smoke-box 6, provided with the usual smoke-stack 7. The locomotive-boiler is shown as of the fire flue type, with the fire flues 8 secured at their ends to the front flue sheet 9 and to the fire-box flue sheet 10. The flues and flue sheets are made and se cured in place in accordance with the well known practice in locomotive building; the fines being so placed as to provide the surrounding water space 11, while the boilershell is so constructed as to provide the usual steam space 12 which communicates with the steam-dome 13, which latter is provided with the usual throttle, but which is no shown in the drawings.

The superheater means preferably comprises the cylindrical shells or tubes 14, 17 and 18, of comparatively large diameter, which are made to extend from the fire-box flue sheet 10, to which they are secured, forward and through the front flue sheet 9, so that the forward ends of the shells or tubes will extend somewhat into the smoke-box 6 a sufficient distance to permit of the securing of means thereto whereby the saturated and superheated steam may be conveyed to and. from the superheating means.

The superheater shell or tube 1 1- extends through the water space 11, contained within the boiler, with the forward end, which extends into the smoke-box 6, provided with the elbow or bend 15 which extends rearwardly and is connected to the front flue sheet 9 where it also receives or connects with the steam pipe 16, which latter com municates with the throttle, not shown, lo cated in the steam-dome 13 of the locomotive. The superheater unit or shell 14 is preferably located at a point coincident with the vertical axis of the boiler, as shown.

Located at opposite sides of the superheater unit 14 are the superheater shells or units 17 and 18, see Figs. 2 and 3. These superheater units 17 and 18 are composed of similar shells or tubes, extending from the fire-box flue sheet 10 forward through the water space 11 of the boiler and through the front flue sheet 9 into the smoke-box 6 in the same manner as the shell or superheater unit 14.

The shells of the different superheater units are secured to the flue sheets 9 and 10 in a suitable manner so as to form water or steam tight connections, being preferably welded to the flue sheets as indicated at the points 19 and 20, see Fig. 1.

The rear or fire-box ends of the different shells-drsuperheater units 14, 17,- and 18, are provided with flanged heads or individual flue sheets 21, which are inserted in the shells at a distance slightly removed or far enough forward of the firebox flue sheet 10 as not to receive the direct action of the hot gases of combustion. The manner of securing the individual flue sheets or flanged heads is more especially shown in Fig. 1 in connection with the shell of the superheater unit 14; it be ing understood, however, that the flanged heads or individual flue sheets of the superheater shells or units 17 and 18 may be identical with and secured in a similar manner to that shown and described in connection with superheater shell or unit 14;. These flanged heads 21 are preferably welded to the walls of the shell or unit. The

front or smoke-box ends of the superheater shells or units l4, l7, and 18, are each provided with a similar flanged head or sheet 22', which are also preferably welded to the shells of their respective units.

I head 21,

The flanged heads or 21 and 22 are provided with a number of oblong slots as shown at 23 in Figs. 2 and 3, which correspond with the fines located within the different units.

The flues 24 are preferably formed of flat sheet metal which has previously been provided with the desired number of impressions, preferably symmetrically arranged, and the sheet is then bent into the oblong or transversely elongated flue, as more clearly shown in F igf, with the impressions, or

the studs or teats resulting therefrom, arranged on the inside of the flue and at points directly opposite each other as clearly shown at 25, see Fig. 4-; The inner edges or points of the coincident or registering studs are brought into close proximity with each other to prevent the side walls collapsing, and the abutting edges of the sheets are Welded together, While the ends of the flues are preferably inserted into the oblong slots of the individual heads or flue sheets 21 and 22 and welded into place. The space 26, Within the respective superheater units or shells intermediate of and surrounding the fl'ues extending through the shells, is adapted to receive the steam which it is intended to superheat; while the fines 24: will, of course, conduct the products of combustion from the fire-box into the smoke-box of the locomotive.

At a point just forward of the flanged namel end, the superheater shell or unit 14 is provided with a steam. connection or ramifled pipe 27. The ramifications or branches 27 and 27 are connected with the rear ends of the adjacent superheater shells or units 17 and 18, respectively, see Fig. '3, so tha'tthe steam may flow from the central dr interpreferably individual flue sheets y adjacent to the fire-boxmediate unit 14 into the adjacent units 17 and 18.

The front or smoke-box ends of the superheater shells or units 17 and 18 are provided with the steam pipes or conduits 28 and 29 respectively; the opposite or lower ends of these pipes communicate with the steam-chests of the cylinders located at opposite sides of the locomotive.

In practice, the feed water enters the boiler shell 5 through the usual boiler checknot shown, but which may be located iii the usual position,and passes into the water and also around the shell of the fire-box 30. The resulting steam gathers in the steam space 12 above the water in the boiler and also enters the steam-dome13 where it is permited to enter the steam pipe or conduit 16 when the throttle,which is located within the dome and not shown in the drawings,is operated. The saturated steam passes through pipe 16 into theelbow 15 which communicates with the forward end of superheater shell or unit 14, The steam which entersthe forward end of superhcater shell or unit 14: passes in the space 26, see Fig. at, around and between the fines 24 lo space 11. around the boiler flues 8 cated within superheater unit 14, and flows toward 13116213681" or fire-boX end of the unit 14 where it passes upward into the branched pipe or connection 27. This connection or branched pipe 27, permits the steam to divide and pass through the branches 27 and 27* into the rear or fire-box ends of the adjacent superheater units 17 and 18, respectively. The steam then passes forward in the two side super-heater shells or units 17 and 18in the steam space surrounding and between the flues of the respective shells or units,-until it reaches the front or smokebox ends of the two'units l7 and 18 Where the steam is allowed to pass to the steam chests of the cylinders on opposite sides of the locomotive by reason of the conduits or pipes 28 and 29; that is, the steam from superheater units or shells 17 and 18 will be conveyed to the steam chests of the cylinders located on the same sides of the locomotive, respectively, in the constructions shown. The steam exhausted from the cylinders passes through the usual passages and outthrough the exhaust pipeshown at 31 and through the smoke stack 7 into the atmosphere. By reason of the construction or arrangement of the fines within the ditl'erent'superheater units, that is, with the intervening narrow vertical and parallel passages,.the steam in passing through the superheater units will be divided up into thin sheets and compelled to thus travel throughout the length of the superheater units. In thus dividing thesteam into thin sheets, ,it will more readily absorb or take up heat -fro1n;

the walls of the flues 24, which latter are, of course, heated by the hot gases passing therethrough.

It is apparent from the construction shown and described, that my improved superheater may be readily applied to a locomotive-boiler without the necessity of extensive alterations or changes being made. The invention may be readilyapplied to the present type of locomotive employed by simply removing a number of the old fiues from the flue sheets, providing the fiue sheets with holes of sufficient diameter to receive the ends of the different superheater shells or units, and these shells may then be properly welded into place so as to provide the necessary joints.

It is evident from the construction shown and described, that my improved superheater is not only light in weight but also compact in form, and will give any degree of superheat desired by simply varying the amount of heating surface; and that the material of which the superheater is con structed may be of the same kind and quality as that employed in standard boiler practice, thus not only resulting in a low initial cost but also in a low cost of maintenance, because there are no heavy, complicated or costly castings or headers required.

I have shown and described my superheater units provided with flat or oblong flues as being the preferred form of construction, but it is evident that the construction may be modified, as for example, round flues for the gases of combustion may be employed in each of the superheater units, and other slight modifications made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be understood, therefore, as limiting myself to the exact construction shown and described.

What I claim is y 1. A superheater for locomotive boilers, comprising an intermediate and two adjacently placed shells or units adapted to contain steam, said shells having their rear ends secured in the fire-box flue sheet while the forward ends extend through the front flue sheet and into the smoke box of the boiler, a series of oblong gas-conveying flues extending longitudinally through the respective shells or units, whereby flat sides or walls are presented to the steam in the shells, the flues being so arranged that the steam is compelled to pass through the shells in thin sheet-like form from end to end, a steam pipe or conduit communicating with the forward end of the intermediate shell or unit and with the steam dome of the locomotive, a branched connection or pipe intermediate of the rear or fire-box ends of the respective shells for conveying the steam from the intermediate shell to the adjacently placed shells, and a steam pipe or conduit connected to the forward or smoke box end of the two side shells whereby the superheated steam is conveyed to the steam chests of the cylinders.

2. A superheater for locomotive boilers, comprising a series ,of shells provided with flanged heads at both ends thereof, said shells being located beneath the plane of the crown sheet of the fire-box and secured to the flue sheets of the boiler, with their front ends extending into the smoke box of the boiler, a series of flues, oblong in cross section, parallely arranged within the shells intermediate of the flanged heads thereof so as to provide narrow intervening passages to compel the steam to travel through the shells in thin sheet-like form, steam connections intermediate of the forward end of one shell and source of steam supply and intermediate of the opposite end of said shell and the adjacent ends of the other shells so that the steam will travel through the shells to an extent coextensive with the travel of the gases of combustion through the respective shells, and steam connections intermediate of the smoke box ends of the last mentioned or two side shells whereby the superheated steam is conveyed to the steam chests of the cylinders.

' HENRY W. JACOBS.

Witnesses: I

GEORGE HEIDMAN, R. E. WIGHTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

